MANILA, Philippines - Nagbulsa ang national karatedo team ng dalawang ginto, anim na pilak at 13 tansong medalya sa 2017 Thailand Open Karatedo Championship na ginanap sa Huamark Indoor Stadium sa Bangkok, Thailand.
Hindi hinayaan nina Jaime Villegas (individual kata junior male) at Jayson Maacalay (kumite -60 male) na mabokya ang Pilipinas sa gintong medalya matapos pagharian ang kani-kanilang event sa torneong nilahukan ng 18 bansa.
Umani naman ng tanso sina David Tubana (cadet kumite -52), Brian De Jesus (cadet kumite -57), John Aori Sevillo (cadet kumite +70), Gabriel Villaluz (junior kumite -55), Bea Balungaya (junior kumite +56) at Mae Soriano (senior kumite -55).
Ang tansong medalya ay galing kina Nathan Tyrel Lim (12 to 13 kumite), Thomas Jared Lim (10 to 11 kata), Carl Karvin Mayugba (8 to 9 kata), James Delo Santos (male kata), Anton Batungbacal (cadet kata at cadet -70), Micheal Joseph Farmer (cadet +70), Emanuel John Navarro (cadet -70), Sharief Afif (kumite -84), Christian Queeco (kumite -84), Bryan Fontillas (kumite +84), Kimverly Alcaraz Madrona (kumite -55) at Tubana (cadet kata).
“The Thailand Open was a tough tournament. I always tell myself to go for gold. In the end though, I snatched the bronze medal for my country. Despite that, I am still very happy with my result,” wika ni Afif.
Kamakailan lamang ay humakot ang Association of Advancement of Karatedo (AAK) ng 11 ginto, apat na pilak at apat na tanso para angkinin ang overall championship crown sa 9th Kota Kinabalu Karate International Open na ginanap sa Sabah, Malaysia.